Moore area football notebook: Senior running backs expected to carry St. Mary

Mount St. Mary has a new football coach, Chris Stiles, who is trying to raise the program's expectation level.

A huge key for the Rockets if they are to improve on last year's 2-8 record will be the play of their senior running backs.

Jo Jo Reis-Herron runs a play during Mount St. Mary practice on Aug. 11. Reis-Herron rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a junior. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Jo Jo Reis-Herron will carry the load afterrushing for over 1,000 yards as a junior last season. He also placed third in the 100-meters at the state track meet.

But Stiles has three other senior running backs that he says can contribute — Chris Zims, Justin Calloway and Zach Womack. All three are starters on defense, with Calloway at defensive end and Zims and Womack at linebacker.

ZAVALA MOVES TO QB FOR SANTA FE SOUTH

Santa Fe South had quite a void to fill with the graduation of quarterback Jameson Ballenger from last year's squad, but Ivan Zavala has stepped into the role well — at least in the eyes of his top receiver.

“He has a great arm, great accuracy,” said senior Abraham Luna. “If he feels pressure, he can run it. He has good speed. I think he'll step in at quarterback pretty good.”

Luna, one of the area's top wideouts last year, has even higher hopes this season. He had 1,037 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last year.

“I've been going to camps and I feel like I'm running faster than I did last year,” Luna said. “Ivan has the arm to throw deep and we've been working on it all summer.”

SW CHRISTIAN TAKES AIM AT TITLE

This is the year Southwest Christian has been looking forward to for a few years.